Beverage mixer



F. E. FOWLER BEVERAGE MIXER Oct. 22, 1935.

Filed Feb. l5,

1935 4 Sheets-Sheet l E Farr/51 F. E. FOWLER 2,018,125

BEVERAGE MIXER Filed Feb. 13, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 oci. 22, 1935.

Oct. 22, 1935. F. EA FQWLER 2,018,125

BEVERAGE MIXER Filed Feb, l5, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 gmc/YM 17.25'. Fawjez F. E. FOWLER Oct. 22, 1935.

BEVERAGE MIXER 4 sheds-sheet 4 Filed Feb. 13, 1935 Patented Oct. 22, 1935 UNITED STTES BEVERAGE MIXER Frank E. Fowler, Athens, Ga., assigner to Beverage Mixer Co., Bainbridge, Ga.

Application February 13, 1935,' Serial No. 6,367

11 Claims.

The invention forming the subject matter of this application comprises apparatus designed for automatically mixing the ingredients of beverages in bottles previously filled and closed by any suitable means.

In thc present low pressure method of illling bottles with carbonated beverages, the ilavoring syrup is first introduced into the bottles and carbonated water is then added to the syrup to illl the bottles. The filled bottles are then crowned or otherwise closed; and are usually forwarded .in upright position to a stock or crating room, where they are manually agitated to mix the syrup and carbonated water.

The main object of the present invention is, therefore, to provide a device in which the mixing of the ingredients in the filled and closed bottles is effected mechanically and automatically,.

thereby eliminating the costly and time consuming method now in common use.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent as the detailed description thereof proceeds. i

In the drawings:

2 Figure l is a fragmentary side elevation of the .apparatus embodying the present invention; n

Figure'2 is a plan of the apparatus shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 3--3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on the line 4 4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary detail to an enlarged scale of a clutch disk forming part of the present o invention;

Figure 6 is a vertical section taken on the line of Figure 2;

Figure 7 is a horizontal section, to an enlarged scale, taken on the line 1-1 of Figure 1;

Figure 8 is a vertical transverse section, to an enlarged scale, taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 4;

Figure 9 is a vertical section taken on the line S-Il of Figure S;

Figure l0 is a fragmentary plan, to an enlarged scale, illustrating cooperative bottle stop mechanisms mounted at opposite ends of the mixing mechanism;

Figure ll is a vertical transverse section taken on the irregular line II-II of Figure l0;

Figure 14 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line III-Id of Figure 10.

As shown in the drawings, the invention includes a conveyor member I movable lengthwise of a base 2 forming part of the supporting framework of mechanism for conveying filled .bottles from a filling and capping machine to a stock or crating room. The present invention is not concerned with the speciilc details of this supporting framework and conveyor mechanism, which may 10 be of any standard construction.

Vertical guide plates 3 and 4, spaced apart at a distance slightly greater than the diameter of the bottles, are suitably secured above the member I by means of brackets 5 bolted or otherwise 15 secured to the flanges 6 and 1 of the hase 2. The inner ends of the plates 3 and 4 are connected to the laterally inclined vertical plates 8 and 9, respectively, which form means for guiding bottles to the inlet end I0 of a laterally offset bottlesup- 20 porting chamber II, adapted to be inverted for the purpose of mixing the ingredients in bottles fed thereto.

The chamber I I is open at its opposite ends and is shaped as a casing having side walls I2 and I3 25 connected at their upper ends by a top I4 (see Figure 3). The walls I2 and I3 are provided with sight openings I5 through which bottles in the chamber may be inspected; and stiffening ribs I5 may be formed on these Walls to strengthen 30k the same without unduly adding to the weight of the chamber I I.

Thelower end of the -wall I3 is shaped to form an outwardly extending flange I1, having itsouter edge machined to ilt against one flat face of a 35 square shaft IB, and being secured to said shaft l by machine screws I9. The shaft I8 is mounted to rotate in bearing brackets 20 and 2I suitably secured to the rear flange 1. The bracket 20 is secured directly to the flange 1; but the bracket 40 2l includes a ange 22 (see Figure 3) which acts as a clamping plate to secure the upper end plate 23 of an L-shaped frame 24 to the ilange 1. Machine screws 25 extend through flange 22 and end plate 23 into the flange 1 to secure these parts in proper relation to each other.

The wall I3, at its lower end, is also provided with an inwardly directed flange which serves as a bottom 2t for the chamber II to support the bottles B therein. The lower edge of the wall I2 terminates a slight distance above the plane of the upper surface of the bottom 26, forming a recess in which the conveyor belt I moves with its bottle supporting surface substantially flush 55 2 Y with the said upper surface of the bottom 26 (see Figure 3). It will be apparent from inspection of Figures Y 2 andv3 that the whole structure of chamber II is laterally offset toward the rear of the machine,

tcprovidesupports for the bottles E partly onthe Y moving conveyor'belt I and partly on the bottom 2liV of chamber II. This construction effects movement of the bottles in the chamber il whenY chamberv is in the upright position shown in full lines in Figure V3, and at the same time permits the bottles to be moved bodily with the chamber I I :during the rotation of therlatter to the position shown by dotted lines in Figure 3. Y

YVertical guide plates 26 and 21 connect the outl let end 28 of the chamber II to thevertical guide plates 29 and 39, respectively, supported by Vportvfor the bottoms of the bottles B in the 25 Y and partly on the relatively iixed bottom v26.

chamber I I, partly on the moving conveyor belt I YThe Vchamber VIi is designed to hold a predeterminednumber of bottles before there is any possibility of its being invertedto mix the ingredients of the bottles therein. In this particular case, Ythe predetermined number of bottles is sixteen. YTo eiect inversion of thechamber I I, aY clutch operating rod 3| is slidably and rotatably mounted in bearings 32 and 33 formed on two of the stiffening ribs I6 near Vthe discharge vend of the machine. The, rear end of the rod 3| is bent inwardly to pass through a recess v34 inthe end oi' wall I2 of chamber II, and forms astop 35 norma'lly` extending across chamber II in the path ofmovement of the bottles B.- The lower edge 36 of `recess 34 limits the downward movement of said stop 33. Y Y

A collar 31, adjustably secured on rod 3 I, limits the lengthwise movement of stop 35 into the chamber I I. Normally the rod 3| is held with the collar 31 against one end'of the bearing'33 by means of the compression spring 38 which is coiled around the rod 3I and is interposedVK between the other endof bearing 33 and sleeve 39 which is adjustably secured `on rod 3|` by a set screw 40. The adjustmentof sleeve'p39 is intendedV to cause suicient resistance ofthe stop 35 to prevent sliding movement of the rod 3| in its bearings 32 and 33 by any pressure less than that induced bythe pressure of sixteen bottles in 'chamber II, resulting from the frictional pull in the' discharge direction of the conveyor belt I on (isY the bottoms of these sixteen bottles. Of course, the collar 39 may be adjusted to provide for inversion of the chamber II by the pressure of anyV other Ydesired predetermined number Yofbottles against the stop 35: The number 16 Vis given merely by way of example,A Y Y Y *When sufficient pressure is exerted against stop 35, the rod 3I slides in its bearings 32 and 33, and carries with it an arm 4I Viixed to and extending laterally from the rod 3I. During the sliding movement of rod 3 I, the'arm 4i strikes the upper end of one arm 42 a clutch operating bell crank lever which is rotatable about a pivot 43 fixed to a bracket 44 suitably secured toa horizontal ange 45 formed on the L-shaped bracket 24 (see Figures 1, 3 and (i).

.Arms46 and 41 extend intopposite directions from the lower pivoted end of arm 42. The arm 45 is provided at its outer end with a hole 43' through which a stop rod 49 slides freely. The V said outer end of arm 45 is normally held in contact Vwith the lower end of a sleeve 53, in which` the rod 49 slides and which is suitably secured to the bottom flange V45 of the L-shaped bracket 24,

by means of a weight I adjustable on the armV scribedpresently. The lower end of sleeve 53 is .slotted to receive slidably the pin 55 projecting radially from'opposite sides of stop rod 49.

A bearing 55 is suitably secured to the hori zontal plateV 45 of the bracket 24; and a clutch sleeve 56 is journaled at one end in the bearing 55'; the sleeve being shoulderedto limit its axial movement in one direction in said bearing 55. A collar 51 is keyed to the sleeve 56 to limit the axial movement of the sleeve in the other direction, and is provided with a crank arm 53 pivotally con? nected to one end of a pitman 59 for a purpose 'Y to be described later. Y Y y The sleeve' 56 rotates fon and forms a bearing for a shaft 60 which projects through a bearing el into a gear case 52. A worm gear 63 is secured to the end of the shaft Si)` within the gear case 62,Y and meshes with a worm 84 suitably xed to a driven shaft 55. The shaft 55 projects through a bearing 66 onV gear case 52, and has secured thereto a pulley 61 driven by a belt- 58 which extends around a pulley 69 on the end of the rotor shaft of a motor 19 suitably supported Y on a standard 1I forming part of the framework of the machine. Y j Y The motor mechanism and gearing operated thereby is intended to rotate Vthe clutch shaft 6@ continuously to impart intermittent rotation yonly to the clutch sleeve 53. To eiect this intermittent rotation, the clutch shaft SII has keyed thereon" the disk 12'having'notches'12 cut radin ally in the peripheryv thereof. To 'impart rota- Ation to the sleeve 56, a cylinder 13 is securedV Vto the said sleeve.V A piston 14 slides in the cylinder 13 and a coil spring 15 is mounted in the VcylinderY to Vforce the piston toward the notched periphery of disk 12.

One end of the pistonhas a tapered tooth 13 projecting axially therefrom to moveinto any of the notches 12' in disk 12, when the stop rod 49 is moved yout of holding Vengagement with the lug 54, which projects from piston 14 through a slot 11 formed in the cylinder 13. portions of the lug 54 and upper end of rod 49 are beveled and the rotations of the parts are timed so that at the end of each complete revolution of The contacting the clutch sleeve 56, the rod 49 engages the lug 54,

with a Vcam effect, to withdraw the tooth 16 from any of the notches 12 in which it may have been Y seated.

AsV already described, the pitman 59 has lower end pivoted to the crank arm 58, xed to the clutch sleeveV 56. other end of the pitman 59 is pivoted to the outer end of a crank arm 13 (see Figure 3) extending radially from a plate 13 which is suitably secured to a stub shaft 8? journaled in the lower part oi bearing bracket 2i. A gear 3|- xed to shaft 33, meshes with a gear S2 fixed on the end of the shaft Iii-to rock 'the latter in its bearings 33 and 2 l Y y As shown in Figure 3, the crank arms 58 and lt are so positioned with relation to each other that a complete rotation of the clutch sleeve 55 causes a rocking of the shaft it from full to dotted line 35 upwardly along the end bottle in contact there with, until it has cleared this end bottle. The spring 33 immediately p-ulls the stop lever past the side face of the end bottle. The outer end of the stop is bent to form a comparatively long contact rod ibi which rests after tripping, against the sides of the bottles in the chamber l until all have been discharged therefrom. As soon as the last bottle is discharged from the chamber, the comparatively heavy stop 35 and contact rod Sii cause rotation of rod Si in its bearings, and locates the stop 35 in the path of the next incoming batch of filled and capped bottles.

It will be obvious that the feeding of bottles to the inlet end of the chamber l t must be timed so that no bottles are fed thereto while the said chamber is being rocked toward and from inverted mixing position. This timing must therefore depend upon the operating periods of the clutch sleeve 56. Accordingly, there is fixed to said sleeve 56 a radial Wiper 85 adapted to wipe against the side of a rod 86 xed to one end of a shaft 8l, which is journaled in a bearing standard 38 supported on the plate 45.

Another arm 89 on the opposite side of standard 88 projects radially from the shaft 8l' and has its free end apertured to permit a slight free sliding and rocking movement on the screw-threaded end of a rod 90, which is mounted to slide in brackets 9| and 92 depending from the base 2. Nuts 93 and 94 are threaded into the rod 9G on opposite sides of the arm 39, and are spaced apart sufliciently to permit the necessary slight rocking movement of the arm 89 on rod 9B.

A collar 954 secured to rod 90 cooperates with bracket Si to limit the sliding movement of rod Si! y in one direction. A coil spring S6 wound around rod 90 has one end butted against one face of bracket 9 l, and has its other end compressed against a collar 91 xed to rod 9B to hold said rod with its collar 35 normally in stop contact with bracket 9 i. The free end of rod 9i) (see Figure 7) projects into the path of rotation of a radial stop 98 projecting from a brake wheel 99 xecl to the lower end of a shaft |00, which is journaled between its ends' on a bearing member lill suitably secured to the lower side of base 2.

The shaft iii? has a spur gear |32 fixed thereto to mesh with a pinion |03 fixed to a counter shaft |34 journaled in said member lill and passing at its upper end through a bearing plate It suitably secured to conveyor base 2. A star wheel la is xed to the upper end of shaft |011 and has the blades thereof passed through a slot |01 in the guide plate 4 to engage and control the passage of bottles along the conveyor to the inlet end of the mixing chamber t will be apparent from the drawings that the continued movement of the conveyor belt along the base 2 will cause the bottles to pile up against one of the blades of the star wheel i535, which can be rotated only when the end of rod 53 has been retracted, by rotation of sleeve 5t, from the path of radial stop 98. As a safety measure, the feed control is provided with a friction brake which prevents operation of the star wheel even when rod 9B clears the stop 58, unless and until there are about twenty bottles applying pressure against the blade of the star wheel projecting through the slot itl in guide plate 6i.

l The safety measure referred to comprises a rod 63 slidably mounted in brackets it@ and H5 suitably supported by the base 2. One end of this rod itt is screw-tineaded to receive a nut l i i providing for lengthwise adjustment of said rod with respect to a roller H2 rotatably mounted on the upper face of wheel tt. A collar H3 adjustably secured to rod i538 serves as an abutment for one end of a compression spring l ld wound around rod ii, the bracket Ei@ forming the other abutment for said spring iid. The end of the rod |08 is rounded oif so as to slide along the periphery of roller l i2 Ywhen pressure is applied by said roller against the rounded end to slide the rod mit in the brackets it@ and liti against the resistance of the spring H.

The resistance of spring l ifi may be adjusted to permit sliding movement of the rod it only when a predetermined number of bottles are exerting pressure against the inwardly projecting blade of the star wheel 55. Where the device is intended to receive sixteen bottles in the inverting chamber, it is desirable that the resistance of spring if: shall be equal to that exerted by the pressure of twenty bottles against the star wheel.

'It will be obvious now that the interaction of rod Sii and a stop 98 will permit feeding operation of the bottles to therinixing chamber only when the chamber is in bottle receiving position above the conveyor; and that the roller H2 and rod IEE will prevent feeding of bottles to said chamber, unless there are more than enough bottles to fill the chamber during one of the intermittent feeding operations. The gears |02 and are in 2:1 ratio, so that the -space star wheel must rotate twice during each feeding operation, in order to feed the sixteen bottles to the chamber I.

t will be evident from the disclosure that the chamber cannot be inverted unless and until the predetermined number of bottles are located in the chamber; and that all feeding of bottles toward this chamber is prevented while the chamber is out of receiving position. It will also be evident that the star wheel mechanism will prevent feeding anything in excess of the fixed number o-f bottles required to fill the mixing chamber, thereby eliminating all possibility of crowding bottles toward the inlet end of the chamber while the latter is in mixing operation.

In order to prevent all possibility of bottles being fed into the space on the conveyor normally occupied by the chamber during the mixing ymovements of the said chamber, an L-shaped stop gate i I5 is secured at one end to a shaft i6 which is journaled in bearings ill and H8 suitably xed to the flange Ei of base member 2,

A leaf spring HQ is fixed at its lower end to the flange 5 and has its free end in sliding contact with a wear plate i222 nxed to the outer edge of the arm |2| of the stop gate H5. The pressure of the spring |19 normally holds the arm 22 of gate l 5 projected into the bottle guideway between the guide rails 3 and 9. a slot |23 being formed in the rail t to receive the said arm |22 in such projected position.

The gate H5 ,is intended to be located in stop position only when the chamber il in mixing movement about the axis of shaft i3. In order to hold the gate H5 in inoperative position, the shaft I6 is extended through the bearing i i5 in the general direction of the chamber and has Ai'lxed to'the end thereof a wiper plate |24 arvits other end to the chamber Il.

ranged in the path of movement of the free end of a wiper V25 which-'is suitably secured at These parts are so arranged and shaped that when the chamber ii is in bottle receiving position over the conveyor l, the wiper |25, through the wiper plate |25 holds the shaft H6 rocked, against theY pressure of spring H9, in such position as to retain the gate i I5 in the inoperative positionV shown in full lines in Figure 11. As, the chamber is moved V,to mixing position (shown by i dotted lines in Figure 11) Vthe wiper |25 clears the plate |2l and permits the spring |l9 to rock the gateV IE5 into its bottle stopping position across the guidewaybetwee'n rails Band 9.

, A stop gate (see Figures 10 and le) similar Y tothe gate l i5, is mounted some distance beyond Vber il for inspection purposes.

' with the inner edge of arm |21, and normally holds the gate |2E with its stop arm |32 in theV inoperative position shown by dotted lines in Figure 14. A stop |33on the shaft |28 is arranged to contact with the ange, 6 to limit the` rocking movement of the shaft |28 in one direction.

The rocl'ng'movement of shaft |28 against the pressure of spring |3i is eiiecte'd by means of a wiper |35V fixed at one end vto chamber and having its free end arranged to wipe against a wiper plate 35 extending radially from and suitably secured to the shaft |28. The lWiper plate |35 contacts with the face of base Vmember 2 to limit the clockwise movement of the arm i532 into the guide-way between'rails 29 and v3i). In order to avoid all possibility of loss of bottles out of the chamber during the rocking movement thereof, each end of the chamber is provided with automatic mechanism for preventing suchY loss. This mechanism, at the inlet end of .chamber il, includes a pivot stud |33 extending axially parallel to shaft I8 from a rod E31 suitably secured to the rear wall of the chamber i l near the lower edge thereof. A stop plate Y |33 is mounted to rotate on stud |36 and is provided near its upper end with laterally projecting pins i339 and |49. Y

A leaf spring |45 is iixed at'its lower end to the rear wall or chamber andhas its upper Y, end constantly exerting yielding pressure tend- Ving to force the plate |38 across the open end it of the cham er H. A small standard |42 isV secured to the bearing 2|) and extends upwardly the pathc movement ofthe pink |39; and is so arranged that when the chamber is in bottle receiving position the stop plate |38 is held in inoperative position, as shown in full lines in Y Figures l1 and 12. As soon as the Vchamber I is rocked about the axis of shaft I8, the pin |39 is released from contact with standard |42. TheY pressure of spring Ml on pin E49 immediately vmoves the plate |38 across the open end lil Vof chamber to hold the bottles securely therein. yThe stop mechanism at the exit end of the chamber Il is quite similar to the stop mechanism` at ,the inlet end; and the corresponding parts thereof are identified by the same refering the rocking movements thereof. V|75 What I claim is: f

1. In a machine for mixing theY ingredientsv ofV bottled liquids; a support, a, conveyor for moving filled and sealed bottles in one'direction Yalong said support, a chamber hinged to saidsupport V10 in the path of movement of said conveyor, means for feeding a predetermined number of vbottles into said chamber,V and means operable by the presence of said predetermined number of bottles in said chamber for automatically rocking'said 15 chamber labout its hinge axis to mix the contents of the bottles therein.' Y l 2. In a machine for mixing-the Vingredients o bottled liquids; asupport, a conveyor for moving lled and sealed bottles'in one direction along 2o bottled liquids; a support, a conveyor for moving 30 lled and sealed bottles in onev direction along said supportan open ended chamber hinged-to said supportin theA path of movementof said conveyor, a counting device adjacent the inlet end of said chamber to control the feeding of 35 Y bottles thereto in predetermined quantities, and means adjacent the outlet end of said chamber operable by the pressure of the'said predetermined quantity of bottles for rocking `the chamber to mix the contents. of the' said bottles. 40 4. In a machine for mixing the ingredients of bottled liquids; a support, a conveyor formoving iilled and sealed bottles in one direction along said support, 'an open ended chamber hinged to said support in the `path of movement of'said 45v conveyor, a Ycounting device adjacent thev inlet end of said chamber to control the feeding of bottles thereto in predetermined quantities, means adjacent the outlet end of said chamber operable bythe pressure of the'saidfpredeter-o Y A mined quantity of bottles for rocking the chamber Vto mix the contents of thesaid bottles, said means being adjustable in accordance with the pressure applied by any desired predetermined number of bottles. i

5. In a machine for mixing the ingredients of bottled liquids; a support, a conveyorfor moving iilled and sealed bottles in one direction along said support, an open ended chamber hinged to said support in the path of movement of said conveyor, a stop yieldingly mounted at the discharge end of said chamber, means operated'by pressure applied to said stop inthe direction of movement of said conveyor for rocking said chamber about its hinge axis to mix the contents V of bottles received in said chamber, and meansY for varying the resistance of said stop inv accordance with variations in pressure applied thereto.

6. In a machine for mixing the ingredientsof bottled liquids; a support, an open endedchamber movably mounted over said support, a conveyor through the bottom of said chamber-for feeding bottles therethrough, means inA advance of said chamber for separating the bottles on said conveyor into batchesV of predetermined 15 number, a yielding stop extending a-cross the discharge end of said chamber, and meanscontrolled by the pressure on said stop of a batch of bottles in said chamber for inverting the filled chamber to mix the contents of the bottles therein.

'7. In a machine for mixing the ingredients of bottled liquids, a support, an open ended chamber movably mounted over said support, a conveyor through the bottom of said chamber for feeding bottles therethrough, means in advance of said chamber for separating the bottles on said conveyor into batches of predetermined number, a yielding stop extending across the discharge end of said chamber, means controlled by the pressure of a batch of bottles in said chamber for inverting the lled chamber to mix the contents of the bottles therein, and means for varying the yielding resistance of said stop in accordance with the number of bottles in the batches fed into said chamber.

8. In a machine for mixing the ingredients of bottled liquids, a support, a conveyor for moving lled and sealed bottles in one direction along said support, a chamber open at its o-pposite ends and movably connected to said support to receive bottles fed thereto by said conveyor, means operable only by the pressure of a predetermined number of bottles in said chamber for moving the chamber to mix the contents of the bottles therein, and means operable by the movement of a lled chamber for closing the opposite end of the chamber.

9. In a machine for mixing the ingredients of bottled liquids, a support, a conveyor for moving filled and sealed bottles in one direction along said support, a chamber open at its opposite ends and movably connected to said support to receive bottles fed thereto by said conveyor, means operable only by the pressure of a predetermined number of bottles in said chamber for moving the chamber to mix the contents of the bottles therein, stops pivoted to opposite ends of said chamber, yielding means fixed to said chamber and engaging said stops for normally holding the stops in position to close the ends of said chamber, and means iixed to said support to hold said stop from closing position only when the chamber is in bottle receiving position.

10. In a machine for mixing the ingredients of bottled liquids; a support, an open ended chamber movably mounted over said support, a conveyor passing through the bottom of said chamber for feeding bottles therethrough, means in advance of said chamber for separating the bottles on said conveyor into batches of predetermined number, means operable by the pressure of a batch of bottles in said chamber for inverting lthe lled chamber to mix the contents of the bottles therein, a stop gate movably mounted on said support adjacent the inlet end of said chamber, yielding means for normally holding said gate in the path of movement of the bottles on said conveyor, and means on the said chamber for holding said gate in inoperative position only when the chamber is in bottle receiving position.

lli. In a machine for mixing the ingredients of bottled liquids; a support, an open ended chamber movably mounted over said support, a conveyor passing through the bottom of said chamber for feeding bottles therethrough, means in advance of said chamber for separating the bottles on said conveyor into batches of predetermined number, means operable by the pressure of a batch of bottles insaid chamber for inverting the filled chamber to mix the contents of the bottles therein, stop gates movably mounted on said support above said conveyor and at opposite ends of said chamber, means for normally holding the gate at the inlet end of said chamber in the path of movement of the bottles on said conveyor and for normally holding the other gate out of such path, and means on said chamber for holding the rst named gate out of bottle stopping position and the second named gate in such position only When the chamber is in bottle receiving position.

FRANK E. FOWLER. 

